Scone company invests for export

Barnsley-based scone specialist Haywood & Padgett has invested over £2m in its production facilities as part of a drive to increase exports.

The company, which currently exports to Australia, France, Portugal and Spain, and plans to expand into the US and Asia, has installed a 40-metre-long, £600,000 oven as part of the expansion.

Founded in 1987 as a one-man business by managing director Wayne Padgett, Haywood & Padgett now delivers to Asda, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Iceland, Aldi and Lidl. The bakery employs 120 staff, making a million scones a day, and has a £13m turnover.

Funding for the expansion has come from the Yorkshire Bank. “The funding is helping us expand our current business and invest in new machinery. This will make us more efficient and double our production capacity, so we can create more jobs for the local community,” said Padgett.